One Reason to Love Your Twin
by sioux343
Summary: Maddie and Addie have been nearly inseperable since birth, but when Collin imprints on one twin...what happens to the other? Their once unbreakable bond disinegrates and their both left to pick up whatever pieces they can. Collin/OC Brady/OC
1. Chapter 1

I'm Addie_**and I'm Maddie.**_ Ok, Maddie this is my part of the story. You'll get your turn. Maddie already promised I could explain the beginning and then she'll tell the bits she wants to tell. It'll take both of our memories to remember it anyway.

Yes, we are identical twins. Even down to the few freckles splattered on our faces. Mom use to tell us that we each might be the other. I might actually be Maddie and Maddie might actually be me because when we were little she'd sometimes get us confused. Never remembered who was who, but I'll let that slide for now. I hate the name Maddie anyways. It's short for Madeline, ew.

_**Oh, like Addison is so much better.**_

My turn, remember? At least I'm not named after a silly little French red headed orphan.

_**If you're telling the story…then tell the story. You don't have to give out your opinions. No one cares anyway.**_

__Like I was saying… Maddie and I were pretty much deemed as 'the twins'. It was like we were one, connected or something. People were always speaking to us as a single soul in a single body, but we weren't. We were two completely different people. If anyone would have bothered to ask my favorite color was white and Maddies' is yellow. Note, they are not the same.

That was just the tip of the iceberg. I mean, hello, no I don't like to dress like my sister. Yes, I love her, but that doesn't mean I want to _be_ her. I wanted to be me, yet I didn't know who that was. I wasn't… smothered by her. I think the word to use here is suffocated. Not only was she suffocating me, but I was suffocating her. There was just too much of each other.

This all started out in our mother's stomach. Maddie, it seems, hogged everything, even the blood supply. My health started to gradually decline so this, in turn, was why we were born severely prematurely and not on our projected birth date. We just so happened to be born on New year's eve or I was. Funnily enough we had two different birthdays in two different years. I was born on December 31st of one year and Maddie was born on January 1st of another, one minute apart from me.

It's silly how one minute should really make so much difference. It really does though. I mean my mom missed her flight to Texas from Seattle by one minute so she'd ended up talking to one of the air traffic controllers. My mom never did make it to her Houston flight, but that nice young air traffic controller did end up marrying her and becoming our dad.

So you see not only in that scenario did fate play a hand, but in the next one as well.

My mom wasn't a small town girl. She'd grown up in the suburbs of Houston and knew firsthand how she didn't want her children to grow up right outside of a city full of crime. So they opted with my father's home state and town. If you could even call it that.

The Makah reservation could hardly constitute as being a town let alone a city. It was more of a very loose community of people filled with the same beliefs and customs.

This was where Addie and I grew up, in this little village that loved being nosy. They gawked at us at how unusual we were. No, it's not that we _looked _different, we resembled our father strongly and in turn everyone else around us. No, they just felt like we were two of the same person running around, like clones.

My mom strongly disliked this. It wasn't so much that she sheltered us for all our lives because we did go to school and do extracurricular activities, but she didn't willingly bring us into the public eye. She kept us out of town meetings and the general store, even the few odd vendor shops here and there.

She just wanted us to feel normal and I didn't blame her for trying. It was just inevitable that our lives would be full of strange oddities and coincidences. Our past, present, and future.

I still sometimes wonder if I have a shot at a normal life though. I don't want to completely give up hope. Maddie is the one that loves the life we lead. She thinks our life would make great book material. Yeah, she does like to read in her spare time. She's so weird, but me, well I like reality and the reality is that my life isn't like real life events the everyday person has.

_Of course_ I would have paranormal things happen to me, the one person who didn't ask for it. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't have my life any other way now, but back then I thought just the opposite. How could I ever love my life like this? Then I got my answer. In the strangest way possible.

My world turned upside down on one morning where everything was out of the ordinary. My mom hadn't had her usual pot of coffee, my father wasn't working that day and we all decided to run errands together as a family. Yes, we were going _out_ of the house. It was a split second decision. One minute we were going to stay in and play games as a family and then the next we were all going for a drive. You see what I mean about minutes, huh?

Maddie and I couldn't stop screaming in delight as we bounced around in the back seat of the car really putting those seat belts to work.

In our twelve year old minds we thought that this day couldn't get any better than it had already. We went to the grocery store (What? We liked looking at food.), the brand new super appliance store, and of course in a few minutes, the toy store.

"Go crazy." My father told us giving that kind smile that he was famous for in my mother's book once we got inside.

Maddie and I ran straight for the girls' section of the store. It was filled with pink crap that we'd probably only use once and then forget about it in the back of our closet only to be found again later and thrown promptly in the trash.

Actually, I think that's exactly what happened too. Anyway, silliness aside, we'd just sat down to actually dig through the mile high shelves to see what we wanted when hurried footsteps echoed off the cold tile floor only a few aisles away from us.

"Claire's turning seven, not seventeen she's not going to want that." A deep voice echoed disgusted. There was a loud clatter like someone had thrown something.

"Then what do you propose genius?" Another voice mocked and two huge men rounded the corner. Maddie and I froze with a huge stack of teen magazines in our hands, trying and failing to fade into the very pink background.

"Maddie! Addie!" We heard our father call out and the two boys looked down at us as they passed. Quite suddenly the first one with the boyish good looks stopped short to stare down at Maddie who was standing in front of me. He did a double take before taking in a very deep breath.

"Collin, what the-?" His friend said looking towards the boyish ones face then towards Maddie. "Oh my-"

The man with the cropped hair looked between those two, like his eyes were betraying him. Like this scene wasn't really unfolding. I wasn't quite sure what to make of everything. I was frightened, but Maddie, she was intrigued. She should have been feeling what I was feeling though, the scared tremors that forced my body to take a step back. She actually took a step forward.

The two men did look quite out of it and even more so when you looked at the whole picture from my angle to realize that they were surrounded by fluffy pink pillows and beaded bracelets.

"Addie, Maddie, what are you doing? Did you find anything…?" My father trailed off once he saw the two men looking like they were. I don't know how his face turned maroon when his skin was as dark as ours, but it happened.

"Who the hell are you two?"

"Sir, it's ok. We're just talking to your, er, daughters?" Collin phrased it as a question of sorts.

"I'm Quil Ateara and this is Collin. We are from La Push." The cropped haired one introduced to my father. He wasn't buying any of their crap. So Maddie decided to intervene.

"We weren't talking, actually." Maddie said matter-of-factly and I nodded in concurrence.

"They're talking to each other though." I murmured and then it was Maddie's turn to shake her head in agreement.

Both men jumped in startled when I stepped out from behind my sister.

"Whoa, there are two of them?" Quil stated harshly.

"I think we'll be on our way then." My father nearly growled leading us out of the store by placing his hands behind our heads and steering us towards the exit.

"They weren't doing anything, honest dad." Maddie tried to dance out of his grip to get one last look at the two men's horror-struck faces. They'd look so hurt and vulnerable.

"That's what they want you to think." Dad snarled in a disgusted tone. I looked toward Maddie in confusion. This was the first time I had no idea what she was thinking. I wasn't getting any kind of vibe from the strange twin connection that we shared. Most of the time I just know what she's feeling. I think that was what scared me the most, not the presence of the two men.

Ok, it was mostly the men.

I was itching to ask her just what the hell was going on when the one named Collin burst from the store.

"What's your name?" He yelled to_ her_. He was not asking me. He didn't care about me at all in fact, his eyes were only for my twin.

"Maddie!" she shouted in a sort of delighted giggle from beneath my dad's elbow.

"Madeline!" My father scolded "What's wrong with you? What do you think you're doing?" I couldn't have phrased my father's question better myself. What the hell was going on with her? She seemed almost too happy. So why wasn't I happy too?

"Come on dad! We live in the middle of nowhere. Nothing's going to happen." Maddie tried to placate. She just didn't know how wrong she was though. We both didn't.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Oh those people who guess my plotlines…. **

For a whole week Maddie was punished. My father was furious about her talking to those men and I thought that the consequences were fair, but she started to drift. That was when our close attachment started to unwind itself.

When Maddie and I were little we would play hide and go seek with our class, only when we did I'd never even have to look for Maddie. I just _knew_ where she was all the time and vice versa. It was like we were instilled with a GPS system in us for the other. The teacher was a little weirded out by that and I didn't blame her. How many three year olds tell you, without even leaving the bench after counting, that Maddie is behind the set of fake rocks all the way to the left?

The thing was we never really thought anything of it. We felt like it was natural to always be attuned to the other's feelings and thoughts. The other's whereabouts and developments.

That's why when Maddie started acting strange and asking me about what I thought of those men in the toy store I didn't know what to say. It was the first time since I'd been born that I was at a loss for words to Maddie.

"Why are you asking about them?" I questioned her, but she never really had a straight answer or an answer I understood.

"I just feel something. This is the beginning Addie, I'm sure of it." Well, I had no idea what she meant by that, but she was always the dreamer. The person that saw things others couldn't so I just believed her. I went blindly on trust and it ended up she was right.

In the mail we received an invitation for a birthday party, to a girl I'm sure went to our school, but we weren't really friends with her or anything. She was a few grades below us in fact, some girl named Claire.

"Why did we get this?" My mom asked in confusion eyeing the invitation and envelope carefully like it might explode. She noted it was only addressed to Maddie, not me.

Maddie lied beautifully though. I didn't even know she had it in her. "Her older sister's in our class and we're friends with her, right Addie?" Her eyes rounded wide letting me know that I should keep the story going. It wasn't a complete lie. Claire did have an older sister in our grade, Mallory. We'd just never really talked to her at all.

"Yeah, mom," I agreed.

"Then why's it not addressed to both of you?" She asked suspiciously placing the invitation on the kitchen counter.

"Addie said she didn't want to go." Maddie invented wildly and I gaped at her in disbelief. That wasn't fair.

"Is this true, Addison?" My mom turned to me with raised eyebrows. She looked almost as shocked as I was at my false actions.

"Yes," I whispered weakly and Maddie mouthed 'thank you' behind our mother's back.

I'll never know what happened at that party first hand because I didn't get to go. I was hurt by Maddie's betrayal; the person closest to me had forgone my company. What was happening? All was not right with the world.

That was how Emily came into the picture. Apparently her and my mother hit it off so well at the birthday party that she became our new babysitter for the weekends. She had a two year old of her own so it would be no trouble at all and my mom and dad would finally get a date night.

"That husband of hers is so wonderful, Kevin! Emily really is a lovely girl. Poor thing would be a raving beauty if she hadn't gotten mauled by that bear." I overheard my mom telling my dad. Dad had ended up staying home with me while just mom and Maddie went.

"I don't know about this." He admitted. I was rooting for my dad. I didn't like this idea either.

"Who's Emily?" I asked Maddie while we cleaned our room that Friday after school.

"She's really nice." That's all I got. Nothing else. Maddie wouldn't let me in on anything and neither would my mother. Was this how my poor father felt all the time? I felt like I was the odd person out in our family.

That Saturday my mom and dad went on their first date since my sister and I were born and we went to Emily's house only ten minutes away. We stepped into the small cottage and she didn't seem all that surprised when I walked in behind my sister. My mom must have told her she had twins.

"Hello Maddie!" Emily waved to me and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Listen, Addie, I'm so sorry I didn't know that Maddie had a sister." Emily turned to Maddie telling her softly. "_Someone_ forgot to mention you were a twin." She muttered more to herself. I decided it was time to fix her tiny mistake.

"I'm Addie." I volunteered and Maddie lifted her hand to her mouth to giggle in delight.

"Oh!" Emily looked back and forth between us like so many people did trying to find a difference between us. It wasn't likely. "You're Addie, you're Maddie." She'd pointed to the right person. We nodded.

"I've got the blue bow and Addie's wearing a red one." Maddie helped and Emily nodded smiling.

"So who wants to help me cook?"

It turns out Emily was a blast. We cooked with her and she taught us songs to sing with her. She even let us play with Parker her son. Eventually as the day dragged on we sat down to watch a movie and that's when Collin came over.

He stepped through the door sweeping his cropped bangs to stand on end. He didn't even need to know who wore which bow; Collin just _knew_ which one was Maddie. I felt like he'd taken my GPS out of me and kept it for himself. He was the only person that I've ever known, including my mother, to pick us amongst the other without guessing.

Maddie's face lit up with happiness. I've never seen her quite this happy in all my time, but her features just crumpled together as she smiled.

"Maddie!" Collin breathed out reverently before catching her up in his arms and swinging her around. I faded into the background once again.

"Collin! Guess what happened to me at school! You'll never guess! Someone accidently took my book bag home so I didn't have to do my homework that night at all!" Maddie laughed pushing her small hand through his hair. I looked down at my own and realized that it was so similar to hers, but I never really thought it was quite so tiny.

Maddie and I were the almost the smallest people in our class, but it wasn't as obvious then as it was now, comparing her to Collin. He was just so massive and she looked nearly non-existent in his arms.

"I hope you still did your homework when you got it back." Collin told her seriously and she shrugged making a silly face at him. Collin couldn't hold his serious demeanor for long and soon they started a tickle war.

"Collin!" Emily shouted at him over Maddie's loud giggles.

"What?"

Emily pointed to my direction and I curled tighter in on myself. "It's a packaged deal. You need to play with them both." At that moment I thought Emily was an angel. I braced myself a little when Collin looked my way. I was expecting the worst, but instead I got a sort of smile. I bit my nails nervously as Collin and Maddie walked my way.

"Hi, Addie I'm Collin. Did Maddie tell you about me from the party?" I shook my head and scooted back against the cushions. "You didn't tell her about me?" Collin teased my sister tugging on one of her pigtail braids.

"No, you're _my_ friend." She emphasized swinging her arms around his neck. Collin removed her hands and made her look him in the eye. "I know, but I can be friends with your sister too."

"I don't want to share you."

"Maddie, you love your sister." They kept talking like I wasn't sitting right there or something?

"I don't want to be friends with you anyway." I told them haughtily crossing my arms over my chest and marching out the back door into the yard.

"Addie! Addie!" Maddie called from the open living room window, but I didn't listen. I went to sit by the trees lining the forest and sniffed. No, I didn't need Maddie and Collin. They can go and shove it. I had…. Other friends. Ok, no I didn't, but I could make others. So there, take that.

I wiped my wet cheeks furiously. I hated being a twin.

The soft pour of rainfall woke me up that afternoon. At first I was a little disoriented. I had no idea where I was or why I was sitting beneath a set of trees, but then it all came back to me too quickly. Maddie and_ Collin._

I didn't want to hate them because really he was adorable, especially because he was so nice to Maddie, but I had to hate him. He was taking my sister from me. I was losing her to a twenty year old man.

I straightened the bow in my hair just trying to think about that. Maddie was friends with this older man. Well, that just didn't make any sense. I didn't know much about the world, but I did know that wasn't exactly how things were supposed to go. I try to remember if anyone else in my class was friends with older people. The only answer I came up with was just their parents. Those kids were mostly friends with others in our age group.

Something was wrong with situation. Why would Collin love to hang out with my sister?

Emily came to retrieve me from the yard a few minutes later. Her marred face looked even worse when she was upset and she was clearly sad right now. I'd figured it was about me and how much I wasn't fitting in with the odd couple.

"I'm fine." I assured her trying to fill in the silence around us. "Maddie can be friends with whoever she wants. I don't have to be Collin's friend, you know? We are two different people. Though I don't know why she'd want to be friends with a grown man." I'm not sure if I believed my own words, but Emily did. Her face softened and she leaned down to my small height.

"You are wise beyond your years Addie." Emily reached up to smooth down my frizzing hair. "Why don't you help me with Parker? He needs a nap." On our way to Parker's room I passed Maddie and Collin sitting comfortably together playing a board game.

"Please collect two hundred dollars." Maddie laughed and gave herself some fake colored money.

"You ok, kid?" Collin asked me his eyes were trained on my sister though. I nodded. I knew he couldn't see the gesture, but then he should learn come manners. Aren't you supposed to be looking at the speaker when you talk to them?

Three weekends later this entire routine still kept up. I was Addie without Maddie and she was Maddie, Collin's best friend. I hated her for choosing him over me. I felt my resentment grow, spreading throughout my body. I didn't blame Collin, though maybe I should have, no, I blamed Maddie. After all we'd been through, sharing a womb and everything.

I tried to get inside her head. I tried so hard. I bugged her every night. Maybe it was the fact that we'd never had to share things with each other verbally before that confused her so much.

"What do you mean, Addie? Collin is mine. You just don't understand." She'd tell me over and over again to the point where I didn't even bother anymore. Collin and Maddie could go off to their weird places they went where a twelve year old and twenty year old are best friends. I didn't care.

At school I decided to talk to other people. I know, it's pretty intimidating walking up to people who you've been in school with for years, but don't really know and trying to make a conversation, especially without Maddie by my side.

"Hey, I'm Addie." I volunteered to a girl with curly dark hair. Her eyes slid to me as I took the vacant seat next to her forgoing my usual desk next to Maddie.

"I know. I'm Alexis." She pointed out with a formidable pout to her lips. She brushed a curl back behind her ear as she appraised me. I hope I was passing whatever test she'd set for me. "So why are you talking to me now?" Her tone was blank. I figured I was failing miserably. What the hell, I just decided to tell her the truth.

"Maddie's got this new friend and doesn't have time for me. I wanted to do the same, mostly to show her how it feels." I expected Alexis to be absolutely appalled…instead she threw her head back and laughed. I sat in shock and waited for whatever she found humorous to subside.

"You were being dead truthful." Alexis pointed out still laughing slightly.

"I tend to do that from time to time." I admitted, well truthfully, again.

"I like you." She mused and looked towards her two friends who were eyeing our conversation. "Maybe you could come sit with us at lunch." My gaze went immediately to Maddie's lone solitary figure looking out the window. "Just you." Alexis corrected herself following my line of sight.

"Sure." I shrugged and allowed my voice to seem casual. Like sitting without my sister was an everyday occurrence, well recently it had been, but still.

"Cool," Alexis said and turned towards the board just as the teacher walked in.


	3. Chapter 3

_Maddie's POV:_

**I don't know what happened to Addie. It was like one minute she was beside me and the next minute she was gone. I know I was neglecting her a bit and ok, I was being selfish, but I wanted Collin to myself. He was the one thing in my life I didn't have to share because it didn't involve Addie in anyway. That was the one thing I did know.**

**It was like in the beginning I could feel him calling to me. Those eyes lured me in and had me hooked. I didn't want his attentions to stop, especially not for my sister. Maybe I was being a little bit of a friend hogger, but I deserved it just this once.**

**Every time Addie asked me I didn't know how to explain my weird relationship with Collin. I tried to put it into words, but they failed me. In the end, Addie just started to annoy me. Wasn't she already supposed to know how I felt? Did she really need an explanation or was she just trying to get my attention? She'd always known everything about me before. Why was now any different?**

**Apparently it was though.**

**At school I became the girl who sat by herself because Addie left me, and then I befriended the artsy people while Addie was friends with the 'popular' group. I'd no idea how we got to this point, but sixth grade ended, then seventh grade came and went. Soon we were in eighth and all the sudden everything blew up in my face.**

**Addie cut her hair into a bob just so she could be different from me. She hated it now when people got us mixed up, before she'd never minded. So, not only was Addie physically different from me, but her attitude was terrible. I don't know how she got that mouth on her, but I can only assume it came from Alexis. She told everyone what she thought of them, brutally, not withholding anything. I was horrified to call her my sister.**

**I, on the other hand, became deeply immersed with Collin. I started asking question after question about why he was my friend and not anyone else's'. **_**Why?**_** He always avoided that subject easily saying that he wasn't here to be a 'box full of answers' he was here for me and that was true. He hated me being out of his sight, out of arms reach from him, but he contained himself when my mom and dad were around. Collin never came to my house. I'm not sure why, so I decided to just go to Emily's all the time and he was there waiting for me. Always around when I was. I didn't know what to make of our budding friendship, but I tried to put any strange thoughts out of my mind. I wanted to live in the here and now. If I lived in the future I might not have Collin at all and that scared me. I never wanted him to leave my side. It was so weird; it was like he almost took Addie's place, but only almost. He was so attuned to my feelings and needs that the hole in my heart where my twin had once stood was nearly unrecognizable. Yet, the comfort that Addie had given me was gone. I couldn't talk to Collin about my slight crush on one of my friends at school or about how I'd gotten my period and was feeling completely bloated. I played it off like that was only because Collin was a guy and I didn't want to bog him down with those uninsightful things. I felt like it was Addie versus Collin. I couldn't have one without the other.**

**That was always prevalent in my mind and when that wasn't I just daydreamed about silly things which then appeared in my clay models. Drawing, I wasn't so good at, painting, eh not my thing, but with clay, I knew where every grain went. I loved making pots for my mother and statues to show my mourning for the loss of my sister, though she was far from dead. Then I began to turn to harder materials such as marble and granite. **

**They were much more expensive, but we could afford it and they weren't nearly as much as Addie spent on clothes.**

**Around the middle of eighth grade was when I became known to Addie as 'the freak'. Here are a few of my favorite quotes: "Why can't I buy this skirt? It's only seventy five dollars. If you hadn't bought the freak her art supplies we might be able to afford it."**

**"You're such a little freak."**

**"Why do I have a freak for a twin?" And so on. These things didn't particularly hurt, but I didn't understand why she was so bitter. I really didn't. What had I done to her? She left me. What was more than that though was Collin hated her the most. He would cuss about her under his breath and give her devil eyes the very few times she had to come to Emily's (which she always pitched a fit about now).**

**I didn't know which way to go. On the one hand he was right, but on the other she was my sister. Part of me felt like it was my responsibility to help her, but then she became a smoker.**

**I don't know how long she'd been doing it for, but I found a pack of cigarettes in her purse. It made me wonder just what else she was doing behind our families' back. I confronted her and she denied it saying they were Alexis', but I could smell the awful wreaking of her breath from a mile away.**

**Then whenever she went over to Alexis' house her clothes smelled heavily of alcohol and she slept for nearly a whole day afterwards. I covered for her. I knew I shouldn't have and Collin told me to 'turn the little witch in', but I couldn't. I don't know why she was so unhappy with her life. **

**Our fifteenth birthday party was just around the corner and my mom thought it would be a great idea to throw a party at Emily's because she was always so good to us. Plus she volunteered to make the food and cake. My father adored her cooking, so it was settled. Collin invited his friends over, I invited my art friends, but Addie, well, Addie refused to invite any of her friends.**

**"What would they think of me mother? We're having a party with semi-family members and I'm turning fifteen? I don't even want to go and I'm the birthday girl." Addie convulsed dramatically as she thought about it and I rolled my eyes. **

**"It's just one day, Addie. I think you can spare yourself for one day." I chided, she just gave me a look.**

**"You can go out for New Years Eve and then the next day we'll have the party. How's that?" My mother compromised, like she always did, with my sister. Addie sniffed a little, but agreed in the end. I think she knew it was the best deal she was going to get.**

**8888888**

**Addie was still drunk. I stared at her in the car with a revolted look on my face. My mom had yet to notice. Sometimes I wonder if she just pretended to be ignorant or if she really was. Whatever the case, Addie made it to Emily's house without throwing up. She was looking a bit green. I didn't know where she'd gotten off to as I scurried to help set up for the party.**

**Once everything was in place and the people started arriving, I started to worry. Collin managed to find me first though and I couldn't lie to him. I confessed I was looking for her because she was missing. Collin called his best friend Brady over to help us look. I took the back yard, Brady took the house, and Collin took the front yard. I wasn't more than three steps into the forest when I smelled the awful cigarette smell.**

**"Maddie," Addie nodded to me coolly taking a long drag off her nearly non-existent cigarette.**

**"Put that out! Don't you know we're in a forest?" I hissed in a low voice.**

**"Who are you, Smokey the bear?"**

**"Put it out." Came the deep hard voice of Collin and my head whirled around to see him standing beside me.**

**Addie looked at him and grinned. "Sure thing," she winked and threw down the butt to stomp it out.**

**"We've been looking for you." I told her in a hurt voice. She'd listen to Collin and not me. What gives?**

**"And you've found me." **

**"Come on Maddie. Let's get back to the party." Collin said steering me towards the direction of the house.**

**"Addie…" I pleaded with her throwing her my best sorrowful look I could.**

**"I'm coming," she waved us away and not a moment after we'd left the trees Collin stopped right in the middle of the lawn.**

**"I don't believe this." He growled furiously before spinning on his heel and hauling his tall form right back to the forest. That was when Brady joined our little outside excursion.**

**"Maddie, what's going on?" Brady nodded towards Collin's stiff form and I shrugged so we both followed him back into the trees. I walked in on Collin yanking Addie's entire pack of cigarettes out her hands while she fought him tooth and nail. There wasn't much point though. Collin was nearly twice her height and two thirds her weight. Wasn't much competition, we all know who won.**

**"Those are mine. Give them back." She demanded and I sighed roughly. Addie turned towards me just as Brady entered our little shelter in the forest. "Will you make him give those back to me?" Addie puffed out her lips in persuasion to Brady, but the oddest thing happened. He was rooted to the spot; his eyes were wide and jaw slack.**

**Addie moved forward towards Brady to stare up at his impossible height. His eyes widened and then closed as if he was experiencing some intense pleasure.**

**"You feel that?" Collin gasped**

**"Feel it? I think I'm drowning in it." Brady replied breathily before opening his eyes once more to look down at my sister.**

**"Drowning in what?" I asked confused, but then Emily's voice cut across the air.**

**"Girls! Boys! Come inside everyone's waiting for you!"**

**I looked at Addie strangely, but she didn't seem any different at all. **

**"All these years," Collin said in an undertone "She was right there and we didn't even know it." He cursed at the end and I gave him a disapproving glance. He smiled in repentance before taking my small hand to lead me away.**

**I heard Brady introduce himself to my sister as they trailed behind us. I kept shooting glances at them and saw that Brady was looking at my sister…like Collin looked at me sometimes. It was a look I wasn't familiar with, but got occasionally when Collin thought I wasn't looking. **

**"You're Collin's friend? How **_**old**_** are you?" Addie asked him in an appalled tone. I felt Collin flinch a little next to me and I'm almost positive I saw Brady as well out of the corner of my eye.**

**"That's not really important." Brady said happily and anyone who wasn't an idiot could see that he'd dodged that question on purpose.**

**"You're like twenty or something like that, aren't you? Stop staring at me!" Addie demanded snobbishly and I turned to glare at her, but she just made a stupid face back at me.**

**The party was filled with nearly everyone in La Push it looked like. I'd met a few of Collin's friends over the years, but I'd never seen anything quite like this. There were at least two people I hadn't seen and their sheer size made it seem like there was double the amount of people. Addie looked positively alarmed. I could already hear her complaining in the car the whole way back to the reservation about all the 'freaks and weirdo's. If only she could see what I saw. It wasn't Collin's age or how large he was, it was the fact that he loved me. It was him I saw, his soul, not his body, though that wasn't hard to miss. I just knew he would always be there for **_**me**_** and that's why I kept him around. So if we were twins why couldn't Addie see and feel that too? Maybe because Collin was mine and not hers. So when was Addie going to find the person that made her feel this way? That was the only thing I could hope for.**

_A/N: I'm so sorry how long it took to update. I've been sitting on this chapter for a while, but it's been unfinished. I didn't know exactly how to end it and I'm still unhappy with it, but oh well. I hope you enjoyed a peek at Maddie's mind. Tell me what you think please._


	4. Chapter 4

Addie's POV

I stubbed out my Marlboro red on the pavement leading to the small gym our school had. Alexis took one last drag on her cigarette before following my lead. I could still smell the smoke hovering around us.

"Do you think we'll get a detention or sent to the disciplinarian's office this time?" Alexis pondered aloud as she shuffled her feet back and forth on the small step that separated the pavement from the grassy lawn.

"Detention," I grunted as I picked diligently at the weeds growing around the small cracks in the concrete. I knew our biology teacher, Ms. Finch, could care less about her students let alone the fact that we were in class. No, she would only give us a detention probably and then let us on our way.

It was somewhere during this point, as we turned to go inside, that I could have sworn I saw something move stealthily through the bushes. I did a double take stopping abruptly causing Alexis to run straight into the back of me.

"What gives?" Alexis grunted as she righted herself and followed my line of vision.

"Nothing," I tell her quickly and give my head a little shake. Maybe I'd hallucinated or something from the lack of oxygen. It's possible, right? I try to reassure myself all the way back to class. I threw my detention slip in the trash immediately after Ms, Finch handed it to us, then I slid into the last row of desks right next to Alexis.

"You were right, she only gave us detentions. How kind of her." My friend whispered to me, none to softly might I add and I saw about three people turn around to give us a glare. "What?" Alexis bit back spitefully at them. "What are you looking at?"

I've learned to ignore this display. I hate when she does this, but I would never tell her anything about it. Even after all these years I still get this uneasy feeling in my stomach when I'm overly mean to people who don't deserve my wrath.

When class resumed normally Alexis launched her normal routine, she talked. It was hard to really pay attention in class when she did this because I had to focus on what she was saying, to pretend like I cared. Most of the time it was about her current boyfriend, other times it was the juicy school gossip. "So guess what Leo Janskey told me?"

And that's when I turned my entire body towards her. Every cell in my being felt like it was burning up and melting. He was absolutely without a doubt gorgeous. The best looking boy in the entire state of Washington and I was hopelessly in lust with him. If he liked Alexis I was just going to burst into tears here and now. If she dated him then I could _never _date him, not that he would anyway, but I would have nothing to live for then and….

"He likes you." Alexis told me smugly.

"SHUT UP!" I shout completely forgetting my surroundings.

"ADDISON!" Ms. Finch yelled throwing her hands in the air. Her face spoke volumes. She was beyond annoyed. I didn't really blame her and I pretty much knew that Alexis and I's conversation would have to be saved until lunch. I was kicked out of class. It felt like forever as I paced the hallway back and forth waiting for the bell that signaled lunch to ring.

I pounced on Alexis as soon as she exited the classroom. "Tell me," I demand and she only gives me a mischievous smile. It isn't until after we get our food and after we are seated at our table that she finally finished the story. She loves putting me through agony.

"Well, I was just talking to him in math and he mentions you and how cute you look with your new haircut, which by the way I _told_ you would look good. I agree with him, of course, and he then asks me if you were dating anyone-"

"You're lying." I cut her off in amazement. This isn't happening. This couldn't be real. I felt like running around and yelling it to everyone.

"Nope, he's probably going to ask you to the spring dance." Alexis says nonchalantly. This was the day that I'd dreamed of, well in my wildest dreams at least. I'd never have guessed that Leo Janskey would be fascinated with me! It was all so surreal and yet as sure as I'm sitting in this very spot he, not me, was the one ogling from the far side of the cafeteria looking my way only about a table or two over from where my twin sister sat. Life was perfect. I slumped my head on top the palm of my hand and sighed in bliss.

The rest of the week was torture though I watched in envy as Alexis and nearly everyone else out our table got asked to the spring dance, but not me. Maybe I was just getting my hopes up, but Alexis kept assuring me that he wanted me. Well I guess Leo wasn't too worried about someone else getting to me first I suppose.

"So who's your date for the dance?" Maddie chirped coming around on the other side of my open locker. She hardly ever addresses me at school. I didn't understand why she was breaking this tradition now and especially with this uncharacteristic question.

I slammed my locker and before I could form an answer I heard an angel's voice from behind. "Me, of course". I swiveled around tossing my shorn locks into my sister's face as my heart skips a beat. "That is, if it's not too late." Leo places a single red rose in my shaking hands. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen a deep, deep red with raindrops still resting gently on the petals with all the thorns pulled off the stem. "Come with me?" He asks and gives me a winning smile that melts the face off every female in this school.

"Yes" I breathe not a second later making myself sound like a complete fool for acting so desperate, but Leo didn't seem to mind as he gives me a small adorable laugh looking down for a second before meeting his beautiful lashed eyes with mine to give me another smile. It was so wonderful that it was directed at me. His famous smile was now mine.

"Excellent, would you like me to escort you to lunch?" He asked giving me his hand. I took it and relished the feeling of his smooth skin. Even his hands were flawless, this was just unbelievable. He tugs me a few feet before I remember the sister I'd forgotten. I stop to look back and answer her smugly, but she was already gone. So typical, I thought. It was the only thing she was good for, disappearing on me.

Now even though everyone in the entire school was pairing off for the spring dance, it was only because everyone wanted the best date, the dance was nearly two weeks away which feels like forever in high school. So many classes had to be accomplished as well as homework and not to mention your reputation and social status could be ruined in one weekend. The gossip mill was spinning in overtime for the next two weeks about Leo and I. Apparently we were the hottest item in the school, well to be fair whoever Leo's with is the hottest item in the school, but his last girlfriend had been in college so it had been ages since the entire school had seen him walking down the halls with a girl on his arm and that lucky girl was _me_. I could see the envy and put-out look I got on every face in the school and guess how much it mattered to me? Not at all. This was my victory. Not even Maddie could ruin my moment with her incessant chattering about Collin and that other man I met. Yes, MAN. They were fully grown men.

"You know Collin would love to have a friend at the dance. I just wish I could find somebody that would bring Brady for him." My twin turned to look at me pointedly in the backseat of the car from her position in the passenger seat.

"Gross, Mom! Your letting her go with Collin? What is he like eighty?" I screw up my face and meet my mother's eyes in the rearview mirror. They looked tired.

"Please don't start on this again Addison. I'm at my wit's end here. Your sister refuses to go without him and he's always been a nice boy, handsome too." She added that bit at the end and smiled whimsically to herself. This was getting disgusting. I think even my mom harbored some kind of feelings for Collin. Was that incest? What was it that everyone was seeing in him that I'm missing?

"So about Brady…" my sister mused loudly completely unfazed by anything that just transpired. I'm sure she's just use to my nagging by now.

"He can go with your friend. What's her name again? Lulu, maybe." I say vacantly trying to help her though really I'm just as uninterested as can be.

"I suppose," I hear my sister placate, but this glint in her eye tells me something else is going on. "He said he wanted to go with someone he knew."

"So introduce them."

"He wants you Addie."

"Well that's unfortunate and unwise at the same time." I roll my eyes and stare out the window. No way would I give up Leo for_ Brady_.

My sister pauses a moment. "I guess Lulu will have to do." She concludes. "Though her names Leila." I shrug. Thank god I don't have to hear about this for another second more or I may implode from boredom. The rest of the car ride was silent, but I could have sworn I saw something moving amongst the dense forest bushes following our car and I would have staked my life on the fact that was exactly what Maddie's eyes were following… I shook my head fiercely. I must be losing it.

**A/N: LOOK! I finally published a chapter! I will start writing again now that summer has started. I'm a little rusty so forgive me for the choppy writing and short length.**


	5. Chapter 5

"That's final, Addison." My father's tone registered with me and I knew that arguing anymore would be futile. It wasn't fair! It wasn't! "Your mother wants you to have pictures with your sister so you stay here or bring her along with your friends." My father finished lecturing me before leaning back all the way on his maroon recliner and opening the sports section of the newspaper once more. I groaned knowing that the latter part of that statement wouldn't happen in this _lifetime._ Nor the next.

"Fine," I very nearly snarled before marching to my room and slamming the door. It was so loud I nearly jumped from the sound myself. I looked out the window noting the sun low in the sky and I grabbed my phone to dial a number I knew by heart.

"I'm not coming over before the dance." I said as soon as I knew Alexis had picked up the phone, before she could even say hello.

"What?!? Why not? They can't be like this the dance is in nearly four hours." Her voice whined to me over the line and I pulled the phone back so it wasn't so close to my ear. She did have an unnecessarily high pitched voice. I don't know why she was the one whining, _I_ was the one who couldn't go. I'd been begging all week.

"I know Lex, but you know how they have their little mood swings. They want me and my sister to get along and we can all be one big happy fucking family again. It's not going to happen no matter how much they try to force it. They _actually_ wanted me to bring her along to your house to take pictures with us!" I said snidely

"NO!" Alexis screeched and I nodded my head though I knew she couldn't see it.

"Yep, well I'm going to go start getting ready. I don't think I even have enough time actually. I still have to text Leo and tell him to come here instead." After this statement I'm almost sure I heard my sister snort with derision from the other side of my bedroom door.

"I have the curlers in my hair as we speak." Alexis said before I murmured a quick goodbye and hung up. The anger ripped inside me at the injustice of being a twin. God how I wished most ardently I was an only child. I heard a soft rap on the door and before I could even say 'come in', which was my right, Maddie walked through the door. I waited patiently for her to speak with my arms crossed fiercely against my chest.

She didn't immediately. She looked around at my room filled with posters of various actors and super models I envied. It looked nothing like her room. Mine was black and white which spoke a lot about my personality while hers was colorful filled with pieces of art she, herself, had made.

"Well?" I quirked up my eyebrows and she seemed to come out of her reverie. I may have known, at one point in my life, what she was thinking about, but now she was harder to read then _War and Peace_ in Japanese.

"You can go out to eat with me, Collin, Brady, and Leila, if you want." She said with almost indifference. I could still feel her underlying hope there though she tried not to show it. For a moment she looked so innocent, so child-like with her long hair (I missed mine, of course now that I'd hacked it off) that I thought about all the times we had been inseparable. It almost made my rage ten times worse because I knew the reason for everything. The root of all evil, or as some call him Collin. I didn't know if I would regret this decision, because I couldn't stand Collin for five minutes, but I agreed.

Two hours later here I was and I knew that I had been completely right. I'd regretted it. At least Leo wasn't here yet to see the three ringed circus that was my family. Leila had arrived nearly thirty minutes ago and about ten the goobers Brady and Collin had trudged in from the bitter cold winter night. Even I had to admit that they were both good looking men, yes men, not boys. Ok so they were _extremely_ handsome. For some reason I couldn't get over this fact even _though_ I drooled over actors who were far older than me, there was just something about these two that I could sense was different. Maybe it's because I'd always thought dating actors were a fantasy and when the option presented itself to me I didn't think it was all the normal after all. Maybe, or maybe it was something else entirely.

Collin was pinning his boutonniere, which matched Maddie's yellow dress to an absurd degree, to his collar and Brady slid Leila's corsage on her wrist as she ogled him openly. He smiled at her gently before squeezing her hand quickly and turning around to look towards me. His brown eyes widened slightly and I whirled around quickly towards a mirror to make sure my hair had stayed in place, though it was no use because it was so short there was nothing I could do with it but leave it down. Why did he stare at me like that? It was too much for me to handle. It nearly upbraided me and I hated that. I had so many insults in my head to hurl at him, but now wasn't the time for that and most I couldn't say in front of my parents anyway. My eyes flew to the clock and I realized we only had five more minutes before we had to get to the restaurant to make the dance in time. _He'll be here._ I told myself a million times like a sort of mantra in my head. I had too, it was the only thing that kept my breathing steady.

My mom, the kind soul that she is, tried to put off the pictures, but in the end she decided to start snapping away putting us all together, me as the odd person out._ Come on, Leo._

My mom took one of our whole family, and then one of the girls, then the boys, then of the couples. Still no Leo. I couldn't fucking believe this.

"How about you just take one with Collin, darling." My mother suggested gently, but I downright refused. "Well what about Brady. Just give me one with a date please." I glared Brady down and I had to admit, if I had to choose anyone besides Leo for a good looking date, Brady would have been perfect. Maybe even more so because he was illogically beautiful. As if the gods had carved his face from clay and breathed life into him. I cracked my knuckles nervously and looked toward Brady as he agreed it would be fine with him. Only for my mother would I do this. I swear. I walked over careful as not to trip in my devilishly high heeled shoes. Brady was still taller than me and as I got closer I noticed he smelled much like the woods, so very fresh and raw. I didn't understand it, but I felt some sort of pain in my stomach. I didn't know how to place it, didn't know when I'd felt this sort of pain before, but I grinded my teeth through it. Brady took my hand ever so slowly and had I not looked close enough I wouldn't have noticed that it shook slightly.

"Ready! One, two, three!" My mom yelled and just as she snapped the picture a knock on the door sounded. In some distant world I remember someone opening the door and letting Leo in before he introduced himself to my parents, but it all seemed blurry. It was background information because my brain was in overload. I couldn't let go of Brady's warm hand it was like I_ needed _it. Yet, I shouldn't. I felt rather than saw Brady's dark eyes on me and I looked up to find I was right. What was this? I couldn't help but feel different towards him than I had in the woods nearly a month ago. I wanted to snap at him for being so strange, but couldn't find it anywhere in my brain to come up with a smart ass comment. I could only stare like an idiot.

"Addie!" Leo's voice broke the spell and I pulled away before looking at him. Confusion must have been written all over my face or maybe it was my articulate response of 'huh?', but Leo looked a bit put out. "I said I'm sorry I'm late. Time must have slipped by me." Leo then gave an easy grin and I smiled back at him. I waved my hand as if I was waving away the problem. A simple inconvenience for me and others. It's fine.

My parents ushered us out to the cars. Leo and I took his altima while everyone else took Collin's suburban to the restaurant. It wasn't until we were speeding down the street did I realize I hadn't taken a picture with Leo. My mom hadn't even bothered.

All through dinner I felt this strange distress and I couldn't put my finger on why. Something felt wrong. I wanted to growl in frustration at something, but I couldn't figure out that either. I should be elated at just being with Leo, but I was mildly disgruntled. When we got to the dance Leo went immediately for the punch bowl as it was spiked and everyone knew it while Alexis found me breathless from dancing. "Guess what?" She shouted at me over the music. I mouthed to her I couldn't hear and she took me towards the bathroom much to my annoyance. I saw Leo out of the corner of my eye and wistfully gave up trying to play the part of the lucky girl on his arm. It wasn't fair. I'd wanted all this, including Leo, for too long and now I was messing everything up because I was in a peculiar mood? I watched as some girl wobbled into a stall in the bathroom before hearing a disgusting, unmistakable hurling sound. What a terrible drunk.

"Guess what I found out?" Alexis said in a hushed sing-song voice. I answered with the normal response, indicating that I had no idea what she was talking about, as I didn't. She seemed nearly giddy before she spit out the answer.

"Leo's going to hook up with you tonight!"

"So? It's not like we haven't before."

"No, Addie," Alexis said patiently as if she were talking to someone senile. "He's going to try to hook up as in have sex with you." My heart froze.

"What?" I said weakly and leaned against a white tiled sink.

Alexis looked bewildered. "Isn't that what you wanted? I told him you were all for it and that you'd done it many times so it wasn't that big a deal." I stared at her in disbelief.

"But I'm a virgin," I spat out. She knew that. What was she playing at?

"That looks so silly though." Alexis said poshly "You have to be experienced he doesn't want to date a virgin he dated someone in college for chrissake. Everyone else would give an arm or leg to have sex with Leo Janskey. You can't be a baby about this, Addie. You want him don't you? You want to be the most popular girl in the school right?"

"Of course I do!" I tell her desperately before clinging to her and shaking her to make her believe my resolve. I feel my face flame at just the thought of doing _it_ though. I was so not ready, but I was so going to have to be. She pried my fingers off her bare shoulders before looking me in the eyes.

"Then you're going to have to do this. It's not that bad, just the first time… oh shit." She said before biting her lip and looking away worried. I stared at her trying to soak up her wisdom as she wasn't a virgin anymore and if she was concerned I should be as well.

"What?"

"He's going to know."

"What?"

"That you're a virgin!" Alexis snapped and it looked like she wanted slap some sense into me.

"Oh right," I trailed off weakly. She pursed her lips with annoyance. She knew I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Addie, please keep up." I was trying I really was, but it felt like information overload. It was more than my mind could process, yet I kept trying to think of what she was telling me. Oh! My mind went back to health class in the sixth grade. I remember when smelly Mrs. Steele taught us about 'feminine woes' as she liked to call it. She loved speaking about the injustices women had to endure especially during the first time they had sex. Oh dear. Leo would know, of course, because it would be a bloody mess, literally.

"What do I do then?" I asked her earnestly, very near desperately. She shrugged.

"Put it off?" She suggested and basically it was the only thing I could do. I couldn't think of anything else to get me out of this predicament. I just couldn't tell him the truth. As I thought about it now I knew that Alexis was right. What kind of idiot did I have to be? He couldn't know I was a virgin because then he would think I was an inexperienced baby. A simple high schooler who didn't compare to his college girlfriend. This was just great. Suppose I could put this off tonight, still what would I do? I had to make it seem I wasn't a virgin. It was nearly impossible though .After we walked out the bathroom for the entire dance I felt like a ghost. I couldn't think, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything but wonder about what was to come and even that was hard with the music reverberating around the room. The nerves were getting the better of me. I was fidgety and Leo finally noticed me.

"You okay? Wanna dance, babe?" He looked down at me as I sat at a table full of confetti and used cups. His eyes were a little unfocused and I couldn't tell how much punch he had drank, but I'm pretty sure I needed some. Yet no matter how much I did drink and smoke normally I had always wanted to keep _that_ innocent part of me safe. That is until I lost it to the man I loved and in this fairy tale fantasy I was not inebriated. So if this did happen tonight I did not want so much as a sip of alcohol. It sounded so stupid and cliché, but I couldn't help my cheesy feelings. Somehow, though, I felt that things weren't going to go as I planned. I shook my head numbly and Leo easily shrugged it off before walking to talk to one of his friends. I sat in shock for a good while contemplating that I'd just turned the hottest person that walked these school hallways. I must have gone mental, but right now the sight of him would cause my nerves to be shot. He just wasn't what I needed right now. I needed a cigarette to be honest or anything that caused me to chill out for a bit so I could think.

I leaned back into my chair to stare out onto the dance floor identifying almost everyone. It was a slow song and had I had any common sense, now that I think about it, I should have accepted Leo's proposition readily just to be close to him, hell if this had been a week ago I would have killed myself had I said no, but I was just so scared. I was in a big hole. It was then that my eye caught a nearly fluorescent yellow color and I see Maddie and Collin dancing next to Brady and Leila. Suddenly a jolt of jealousy pulsed through me and it took my breath away. What was wrong with me? I felt my eyes unwillingly zero in on Brady and Leila and every part of their bodies that touched. It made me want to convulse with rage and I couldn't explain why at all! It was as if Brady knew though because it felt like nearly a second after the song ended he was heading my way. He sat down fairly close to me; his pants touched my bare knees. I simply stared at him.

"You don't look like your having fun." He commented before looking at me intensely and I couldn't stop the reaction my body had to this searing stare. He had to know how physically attractive he was. Nearly everyone else did as many other girls were looking this way.

"Aren't you intuitive?"

"I'm trying to be nice, Addie. I'm trying to start a conversation here." Brady looked exasperated and I saw him lock eyes with Collin for a moment.

"Yes, but why?"

"Do you realize what a special bond your sister has with Collin? I know you do." He said smartly and leaned a bit closer to me so I could hear him better. I reluctantly did the same.

"I know it's creepy if that's what you mean." I whispered icily.

"No it's loyalty."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I splutter. I felt like he was speaking about the randomest things. Who cared about Collin and Maddie and their fucked up relationship?

"It's what I want to give to you. My loyalty. I would do anything for you, Addie, if not more." There was a sincere longing in his voice and his face looked pained. I was so befuddled by the opposition of voice and looks, what did he mean by all this? By telling me this?

"Give it to Leila." I sneered before pushing my chair a few inches away from him.

He looked furious for a moment and I saw his chiseled features become hard lines. He stood up to tower over me and for a moment I was truly frightened. He leaned down, tucking my hair behind my ears with a gentleness that belied his facial expression before whispering in my ear. "It is yours whether you wish for it or not." Then he was gone vanishing past Collin and Maddie, who looked confused, into the crowd. I sat there in shock. It might have been minutes or hours later, I didn't know, but the dance ended and Leo came to collect me.

"I have a special spot for you to see, babe." Leo told me as he dragged me from my seat and slid his hand down my rear. I wanted to cry.

**A/N: I hope this makes up for my lack of chapters in nearly all my stories. I didn't anticipate I'd be this busy and yes I realize it's been so long since I've updated them all, but I'm trying the best I can. I hope everyone likes this chapter. I haven't written in a while so I'm sorry if it's a bit…. Stiff.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N- Hey, so I finally finished a chapter! I've been super busy lately, but I've found time to finish this. Remember this is rated for older audiences! Thanks for all the support! I'll try to write more if I find the time.**

You'd think that turning down the hottest guy in school for sex would make you a social outcast, but on the contrary, it made Leo nearly crazed for me. He went from having a mild attraction towards me, to hot on my heels at every moment in the following weeks.

When Leo drunkenly agreed to wait to have sex with me it was like a new light lit up behind his eyes because he smelled a challenge and a challenge I would be until I formed some kind of plan. I thought back over our agonizing last encounter at school.

"Addie-bear,"

I squeaked and shut my locker only to see the boy I'd been avoiding all day waiting expectantly for me on the other side. Strange that I was now trying to evade him when a mere week ago I was actively seeking him out. "Oh Leo, I didn't even see you. Behind my locker. I was just leaving strangely enough, late for class and all." I moved to leave, but he grabbed me before I could turn around.

"Here,"

"Why are you giving me a pencil?" I asked him slowly. Was I missing something? Wait was this some sort of relationship step?

"I want you to think of me in class, while your writing notes. I'll be thinking of you." Well that's strange. "Can't wait for this weekend." He winked back at me. I gulped.

I needed to divest myself of my virginity and quick.

Alexis agonized over this with me for a grand total of week, after all this _was_ sort of her fault, but that's about all the time I got of her attention. We had yet to figure out anything and she had tired of the subject as I shot her 100th idea down.

"What do you think about these shoes?"

"Lex, we've got to think of something. He's practically foaming at the mouth and I'm afraid this charade is going to get old." I tried to keep her on track, but it was like trying to keep a dog attentive with a juicy steak in the room.

"Whatever, just turn off the lights." Alexis flipped the page and peered closer. Probably trying to decipher if someone was airbrushed on the magazine or not, for some reason that was her pet peeve.

I, on the other had, hung upside down on my couch hoping that with more blood in my brain more ideas would come to me. The two didn't seem mutually exclusive, but it didn't hurt to try.

Just then, Collin and Maddie walked through the door. He held it open in a disgusting display of chivalry and then followed behind her like a loyal little puppy. Collin must have said something under his breath because she giggled relentlessly.

Ugh, that intense look her gave her made me gag. She stopped and waved to Lex and I. Collin obviously didn't want to acknowledge my presence, but was forced to after a glare was issued his way. Thus, I got a nod in my direction. Alexis was ignored, not that she cared. She was completely absorbed in her magazine. Jeez, even when Maddie wasn't talking Collin was listening to her, loyal to a fault-

My thoughts fractured as inspiration hit. _Loyal._ A rough voice floated up from the depths. "_I would do anything for you, Addie, if not more."_

Yes. Yes. Yes. He'd have to agree. If he felt that weird pull like Collin felt toward Maddie then, well _he_ would feel the same way towards me. I sat up immediately and stars winked in front of my vision for a few moments.

"I knew it!" Alexis shrieked beside me shoving the magazine under my nose. "She's not that thin. My mother's seen her in person when she visited LA. Totally a size six not a four like it says in here. Why are you smiling like that? You look like your sister and I hate it."

"Your right. Maybe I should just turn off the lights." I told her automatically. If this plan was going to work I couldn't tell _anyone._ Especially not Alexis, who had a serious mouth on her. She'd tell everyone.

I mean Leo was experienced, so why couldn't I be? Technically I wasn't exactly being faithful, but he'd had others and this was the only way to keep him without seeming like a liar. I didn't want to be seen like some immature baby I wanted to seem worldly. That was the word Alexis had used anyway and I agreed. Yes, this was the best option. Now all I had to do was get Brady to agree.

"I know I'm right, just like I know she's completely airbrushed. I mean have you seen her skin? It's not this flawless.."

888888

"Maddie! Wait up! Hey, where are you guys going?"

"Um, Emily's like I go every Friday and Saturday.' My twin looked perplexed. I'd never voluntarily talked to her at school before, but I hadn't been able to catch her until now. Collin normally drove her to and from school, while Alexis picked me up. She had just gotten her license.

"Well, can I go? Alexis is busy today." I tried to look innocent as she stared at me in shock. I think her brain had hit overload.

"Hey Maddie," Collin came out of nowhere and stealthily leaned down to give my sister a kiss on her temple.

"Ah! Collin! Good to see you. I was just telling Maddie how I wanted to go to Emily's."

He stared at me for a long moment looking baffled. I wasn't sure if he remembered how to speak. I opened my mouth to say something to fill in the heavy pause between the three of us, but he cut me off- "Have you hit your head?"

"No!"

"Why do you _want_ to go to Emily's? Normally we have to drag you kicking and screaming."

"Why do I need an excuse to hang out with my twin and her um-" I paused, eyed Collin up and down, and tried to find a word to describe what he was to Maddie. "-ah, favorite person."

They both shared a glance, obviously at a loss for words at my change in behavior, but I knew they'd never find out my real motive. They couldn't. No one could.

It took another ten minutes of badgering me about why I wanted to go to Emily's, to finally load them up in the car and another ten to get there, but in the end I finally arrived.

Oh Brady had no idea what was coming.

I endured an hour or two, of trying and failing to ignore Maddie and Collin's devoted stares. It was annoying. When would they openly just declare that they liked each other and get it on? It had been years. What were they waiting on?

"Collin! I hate being tickled! Stop that, silly!"

Ah, right. Maddie's maturity level. It was so far below mine it was frightening. How were we so different? If we didn't look alike I'd say this twin thing was a hoax.

I went into the kitchen for something to eat. I wasn't sure how long I could keep it down though if I had to endure anymore of that sickeningly sweet behavior in the living room. I'd already been gagging before.

"Here, I already made you a sandwich." Emily smiled down at me. She was still beautiful and youthful; you could only tell her age in her eyes. They looked like they'd seen a thousand years instead of a handful over thirty.

"How did you know what I liked?"

"I remembered, Addie. A useless talent, I suppose."

"Oh, thank you."

"No problem."

"It isn't useless, you know. A great memory is a good thing." I told her and bit into the turkey and swiss cheese on wheat. It was mouthwateringly good because I knew she'd made it lovingly. That was just Emily. She was overflowing with love and goodness, like Maddie. Sometimes I was ashamed I couldn't be that way, but I just didn't know how. It wasn't me and going against my nature felt wrong.

"That's a nice thing to say. You're more like Maddie than you think." Emily told me and turned towards the dirty dishes in the sink. She was so wrong. I was nothing like her, yet everyone refused to see that. Why?

I finished my sandwich quickly and gave her the dirty plate. She smiled again at me and took it. "Oh Addie." Emily mused and I turned my eyes toward her. Her lips pressed down like she was trying to hold in a secret she was bursting to tell me. "Brady will be here later tonight. Probably another hour or so."

I blanked out my face. I'd perfected this look with my parents, particularly if I'd been caught with something incriminating. And I knew Emily had caught wind of part of the reason why I was here. Though, she'd probably never find out the particulars. "Oh, that's nice."

Her lips still quivered. Was she trying not to laugh? I frowned, but decided I didn't care. What I really needed was a smoke.

I turned and left through the back door towards the woods. I pulled a lighter and cigarette pack from the inside of my bra, a handy place to store things I didn't want anyone to find during a pat-down, which I'd endured on more than one occasion.

I inhaled and the smoke filled my lungs, burning as it went down my throat. The slight rush felt wonderful and I exhaled quickly. With a wave of my hand in front of my face I dispelled some of the smoke.

"What did I tell you about smoking?"

"Dammit! Don't do that!" I whirled around with a hand on my palpitating chest as my cigarette was ripped soundly from my hand. "You scared the sh-"

"Why are you here?" Brady cut me off and looked at me queerly. He threw the cigarette on the ground and stepped on it without tearing his eyes away from my face. He resembled a starving man who'd just found his feast. And I happened to be on the menu. It was unnerving.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? Can't a girl change things up once in a while? A routine is so boring." I pulled another cigarette out of the packet in my bra to light up, but before I could blink it was gone too.

"Give me the pack."

"Reach for it. I dare ya." I puffed out my chest a little and smiled wickedly. He wasn't deterred though, and he actually did it. He reached right in and I was too shocked to stop him. Brady put it in his pocket and continued to stare at me with a hooded expression. I didn't remember him being this beautiful. Maybe it was because I was trying to convince myself that I actually liked him because of what I was going to do with him. Yes, that must be it.

"It's been a while since that birthday party when we met. I didn't remember. Why won't you let me smoke? You treat me like a child."

"How do you get these anyway? You're not 18." He asked completely ignoring my questions. God, but he was sinful. Muscles rippled down his arm as he flexed them unconsciously. Ok, I admit it. I did want him a little.

"I have my ways." He raised his eyebrows expectantly at me. "Like I'm going to tell _you_." He sighed in exasperation and I grinned as he ran his hand over his hair back and forth in a nervous gesture. I looked for a moment and began hesitantly. "So listen, remember that loyalty thing you were telling me about at the dance?" Well, might as well just barrel right into it. If I was honest with myself though, I didn't think I'd have the nerve or opportunity to do it later. This situation couldn't have been anymore perfect.

I saw him go still again. He was really good at that. He tensed before answering in a uncertain voice. "Yes,"

"This is without stipulations, right?"

"What are you getting at, Addie?"

"Well," I paused and took a deep breath before looking up at him straight into his dark gaze. "I want to… have sex with you."

Now, whatever he was expecting, and he _had _looked like he was expecting anything out of me moments before (must know my wild streak), it was not me asking for sex.

"E-excuse me?" His jaw was hanging open with widen eyes. He looked exactly like he had the first time he met me. Seemed like I kept surprising him, and he wasn't one who looked like he was surprised often.

"You heard me. I'm not repeating it."

"Addie, what is the matter with you?" He popped his neck to the side trying to rid himself of the tension. He'd gone completely ridged. Then he dropped his voice to a whisper. "Why are you even thinking about _that _right now? You're not even sixteen."

"Listen, I'm coming to you because… well I'm in a bit of a predicament. You said you'd be loyal or whatever and I need a loyal friend right now." I crossed my arms over my chest and looked defiantly at him. Suddenly this plan didn't seem like such a great idea. I felt, well stupid. This is why I disliked Collin, and right now Brady, so much because they always made me feel like an awkward child. I wasn't. I was ready for a step like this. I really was.

"Why? What's the matter? Is it something with Leo?"

"No," He gave me a hard look at my denial. "Ok, sort of."

"Is he pressuring you into this?"

"God, you sound like my father now! No! He's not. Really. I just need you to get rid of my virginity and that's it."

Brady spluttered at my last sentence. "Any _why_ do I need to do that? Don't you have a boyfriend? Don't get me wrong," he said hastily backtracking. "I don't want him touching you at all. I think this whole thing, whatever your plan may be, is a bad idea. Yes, Addie, I know you're planning something incredibly stupid."

"That's funny, I thought it was incredibly smart. You see this is all Alexis' fault really. She told Leo I was 'experienced' and well, as I've just told you, I'm not." I looked at him pleading for him to understand with my eyes. This situation honestly sucked. I'd _rather_ be doing this with Leo, but since that wasn't an option without looking like a huge liar and ruining my reputation in the long run after he broke up with me. I had to resort to the man in front of me. And he was a man alright, so different from Leo's boyish features. He had a hardened, weathered look about him that made him seem, well tough I guess.

"This is so bizarre, Addie. You can't just ask me to have sex with you. You're deceiving your boyfriend in so many ways, it's not even funny and I'm not participating in this. If you want me, break up with him." He turned to leave, but I put my hand on his bare forearm. My skin sizzled at the contact and I yanked it away as if burned. He met my eyes with a knowing look and I turned them away for a moment as I tried to collect my scattered thoughts.

"Um, right sorry. What was I going to say? Oh, yeah. If you don't ,I'm just going to find someone else. I just figured you'd be, you know, gentler?" I finished lamely, leaving it as more of a question because I was still uncertain about what exactly I was talking about. I mean, I was still an innocent after all. Brady's jaw was clenched so tightly I was sure he was trying to fight down some anger. Thought what he was mad about I had no idea. So I continued. "We can trade. I'll give you something if you grant my request. Simple"

"Trade?" he echoed hollowly. "You're offering to trade me something for _taking your virginity_." I nodded emphatically. He pressed two fingers against the bridge of his nose and sighed a few times. "Just let me think for a moment."

Wait, was this really working? Was he actually thinking about….doing it? With me? He did that still-as-a-statue routine again before he spoke sometime later. He looked worn down. I must have caught him at a vulnerable time. You see, some perverted deity was smiling down on me.

"So, let me get this straight. I have sex with you and then you go back to Leo like nothing happened between us."

"You make that sound like it's a bad thing and I used you."

"You _are_ using me, but, and I really can't believe I'm saying this, I'd rather you use me then someone else."

"Aha! You-"

"_But_-" He cut me off again. It was really getting annoying. I knew he was going to ask for something absurd in return. I was prepared for it and nothing could detract away from my joy. I couldn't believe this ridiculous plan had worked. "Only if you follow my conditions. Firstly, no more smoking."

I pressed my lips together to hold in the protest. Ok, I could live without cigarettes. Easy.

"Secondly, I want you longer than just once. Give me a month."

"Absolutely not!"

"You want to make it two?"

"A month? I can do a month. I guess I could…. learn things from you."

He looked down at me scowling. "I don't want just that. I want you to be with me. For one month."

"Fine, but we must keep it a secret. I don't' want anyone to find out, especially Leo." I told him firmly and he gave a tight nod at that. "Do we have a deal?"

He smiled widely and it looked predatory. "Deal, so when do we get started?"


End file.
